The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), with support from the European Union (EU) through International IDEA, on Wednesday officially handed over 900 newly developed civic education textbooks along with their Comprehensive Teachers’ Guide Books to the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MoBSE).
The move is geared towards promoting human rights education in the basic and secondary education sector.
The handing-over event took place at the MoBSE conference room in Banjul, marking a key advancement in civic and human rights instruction for Upper Basic School students.
Speaking at the ceremony, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, Emmanuel Daniel Joof, highlighted the significance of the initiative. “From the textbooks creation to this presentation, we’ve taken a crucial step in nurturing civic responsibility and human rights understanding in our schools,” Mr Joof stated.
“These books will instill in our children essential values, respect for human rights, the rule of law, tolerance, and an appreciation for diversity.”
Louis Moses Mendy, Permanent Secretary at MoBSE, graciously received the textbooks on behalf of the Minister, Dr Habibatou Drammeh. He conveyed the ministry’s gratitude to the EU, NHRC, and International IDEA for their invaluable support to this vital area of education.
PS Mendy reaffirmed MoBSE’s dedication to equipping students with necessary patriotic values, norms, and respect for human rights through the ministry’s Civic Education Curriculum.
He said the presentation of the vital learning materials is the result of in-depth reviews and extensive consultations with officials from MoBSE’s Curriculum, Research, Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD) and human rights experts.
“This collaborative approach ensured the textbooks are comprehensive and tailored to the educational needs of Gambian students,” he affirmed.
According to Imam Njie, the Curriculum Desk Officer for Civic Education at MoBSE, the handing over of the textbooks represented a significant leap forward in fortifying the foundation of civic responsibility and human rights awareness among Upper Basic School students in the eight selected pilot schools nationwide.
Immaculada Roca i Cortés, the European Union (EU) ambassador to The Gambia, said a strong civic education empowers students from an early age to recognize their role in shaping society, and encourages them to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and the rule of law.
She indicated that by embedding these concepts in the foundational years of education, citizens who are knowledgeable would be committed to building a more just, inclusive, and resilient democracy.
“We appreciate that the pilot phase includes schools from all six educational regions,” she noted. “This helps ensure a fairer distribution of opportunities and reflects an inclusive approach to educational development.”
She highlighted the gender-sensitive dimension of the initiative, saying: “It is important that civic education supports the equal participation of girls and boys, helping to build a more balanced and inclusive society over time.”
On behalf of the European Union, Ambassador Roca i Cortés thanked everyone involved in the process from policymakers to curriculum developers to the teachers who would bring this content to life in classrooms across the country.
